


Tea and talking

by Pearlislove



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: 4.5 Tidal Wave, Audio: UNIT Assembled, Gen, Tea and talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 03:29:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12099735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearlislove/pseuds/Pearlislove
Summary: Kate Stewart and Jo Jones drink some tea and talk about the 11th Doctor.





	Tea and talking

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after Big Finish Audio UNIT: Assembled 4.2 Tidal Wave
> 
> Refrence to 'The three patch problem' in DW abd 'The Death of The Doctor' in SJA.

"So, you said you met The Doctor recently?" Kate asked, looking up from her coffee to look at Jo Jones, who'd somehow ended up drinking tea with her in Kate's livingroom. Kate wasn't quite sure how it happened, but she was used to rolling with the punches, and it didn't bother her much.   
  
"Oh, yes. It wasn’t that recently I don't think, but met him I did. My grandson Santiago was there as well and oh it was so fun introducing them! Finally I could prove I've not been making up my stories about him for all these years! But you see originally we were there to...it was...we were told there was going to be a funeral. His funeral. The Doctor, dead at long last." Jo looked down into her tea, a sudden sadness putting a damper on her usually sunny demeanor. For a moment, she stayed quiet, seemingly processing something, but then she looked up again and smiled. "Oh and Sarah Jane Smith was there too. I've never met her before, but she was absolutely brilliant and I could see why The Doctor chose to travel with her." The passionate glow returned to Jo's eyes as she talked of Sarah Jane Smith, and it immediately made Kate feel more at ease.    
  
Seeing Jo Jones sad just didn't make sense, same way it didn't make sense that there were some people on Earth who still denied even the slightest possibility of aliens existing, on earth or elsewhere. The two things just weren't compatible.   
  
Slowly, she let out a low chuckle. "I heard of that fiasco. Dad was invited, but he was stuck in Peru. Oh was he  _ so  _ mad when he got back and heard how royally UNIT had screwed up...but wait, what Doctor was it, then? If it was back in 2010 then...then it was the baby Doctor!" Now, Kate was laughing for real, imagining the clumsy young man she'd met during the cube invasion of 2011.   
  
Hearing this, Jo nodded enthusiastically, laughing as well. "Yes! Yes! Oh darling, that's exactly what I said! I said that he looked like a baby, and he said it looked like someone bathed me!"   
  
"Sounds like The Doctor. You know, that particular version of him is very silly. You should have seen the mess he was making in my lab during the cube invasion!" Kate gave the older woman a knowing look, taking a sip of her coffee to hide her smirk.   
  
"The cube invasion? Oh that was when all those black cubes appeared everywhere! I remember that, they even made it to the amazonas." Jo giggled a little, before suddenly frowning. "But he's not all sunshine and laughter, is he? Not always. You see, we ended up on this distant planet, and I was feeling so foolish, and then we talked and...there was something in his eyes. Something dark and lost. It frightened me, but there was so much happening and I didn't have time to ask"   
  
Kate nodded seriously, hearing what Jo was saying and recognising what it was that she was talking about. "I know I...I've seen it too. Back with cubes in 2011. He...he looked at me, and he said 'Don't despair Kate, your father never did'. It wasn’t long after dad died so I hadn't said anything, but...he just knew." She paused, swallowing thickly as she thought back to that moment. "He never really shows it outwards. He smiles and jokes and act like such a clumsy thing, but then you look him in the eyes and you can tell how much he's hurting."   
  
"I wish we could help him. That poor darling, always trying to be strong and independent. When is he going to realise that we are here for him?" Jo sigh, stirring her tea. Kate could see the worry in her eyes. "Do you at least think he's somewhat alright. Now, I mean? It's been a while. Maybe he has gotten better..." There was hope in Jo's voice, a slight smile on her face.   
  
Kate recognised that look. She'd seen it so many times. In her father's face, and in the faces of all those who knew The Doctor. Genuine worry mixing with desperate fear as they tried to stay brave and strong, knowing The Doctor always came out on the other side, but that it wasn’t always without a scratch.    
  
She knew she was getting there too. That it had already begun, and it was only going to get worse as the years passed. It was going to continue all until one day, when she'd be standing there, a female Brigadier that was constantly fretting about The Doctor's well being.

 

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. He always is, in the end.” She smiled comfortingly at Jo. “And either way, it won’t do no good for two old ladies to be sitting here and discussing his moods.”

 

“No, it certainly won’t. Your so right, darling. As smart as your father and twice as beautiful.” Jo smiled a kind, warm smile that seemed unique to her, her hand stretching out to Kate’s.

 

And so, there they sat, two silly old ladies worrying about a man who would hardly bother to worry about himself.


End file.
